


Blue roses

by P1n34pp73



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Cults, Ghosts, Implied Drugged Sex, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Roxas just wants ice cream and boba, Sora falls for that spooky boi, Urban Legends, Vanitas is a spooky boi, Ven has cats, but most of the tags are there because of an article in the story, but not in enough detail to be harmful, don't watch cult movies and ghost hunting shows one after another kids, just throughly warning you guys, not because they actually happen, shit like this happens
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:20:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24612928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/P1n34pp73/pseuds/P1n34pp73
Summary: It's been awhile since they visited Ventus, so during thier summer vacation, Roxas and Sora head out to California for the summer to spend some time with him, in hopes of having some sibling shananagins for old times sake. But it turns out, thier lovely, childhood town currently has a ghost problem.
Relationships: Sora/Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 19





	1. It's summer time!

It was a warm night in May in the college town in Destiny City, the stars shine brighter out here, less cars, less skyscrapers, less light overall, perfect for stargazing. He was looking at the sky, contemplating life in his backyard while sipping a beer in a lawn chair, nights like these are perfect for just sitting outside and just existing, while looking at the crescent moon. He was tempted to light a cigarette until he heard a knock at his front door. He put the can down, got up and walked to his front door and peeks through the peephole.   
“Hello….?” The person genlty spoke. They had a somewhat masculine voice and covered themselves and most of their face in a white blacket, he deemed it safe and opened the door slightly. “Uhh hi?” He scans the person, the blanket goes down to their feet and it seems like they’re not wearing much underneath and by the looks of it, they definitely had a male body, very muscular.   
“I apoligise for the interruption, but is there a chance I can stay the night, just for one night?” They spoke softly. Now usually, he doesn’t let random strangers into his house unless it was a house party, word goes around fast in college, but something about this guy in a blanket in not much clothing is doing something to him. He thought he was always into girls, but now he’s reconsidering.  
“Um…”   
“I’ll repay you as soon as I can” He swore he lowered the blanket and showed more chest on purpose, he even probably puffed his chest out a little too. But now he can’t help but stare, there’s something so alluring about this guy.   
“Umm sure” He let the beautiful stranger in, checking him out a little more.   
“I won’t bother you much and I be on my way before sun rise”   
“That’s fine, I have a spare room since my roommate moved out recently, but there’s only a bed and curtains in there”   
“That will do, I don’t plan on lingering” He looks around the living room.   
“Well…. Enjoy your stay and I’ll be outside if you need me, ok?” He simply nods and cracks a small smile at him. He goes back outside and sits in his chair, nursing the beer, mind lingering on the beautilful stranger he let into his home. 

It was about two in the morning when he decided to head to bed, when he passed by the living room, the stranger was gone, presumably in the guest room by now, makes sense with the whole leaving before dawn thing, but it would’ve been nice to talk to them more, like actually knowing thier name, but alas, he stumbles into his room and passes out.

He then started having weird dreams, then something woke him up. He blinked his eyes open and checked the clock, three am. Great. He closed his eyes again when he suddenly felt something next to him, he sits up fast and almost backs off the bed as he looks, it was the stranger.   
“Wha-what?!” He stands up and back away. The stranger blinks his eyes open and lifts his head and rubs his eye.   
“Hello” He smiles at him as the cloth that was on him slid off his shoulder, showing sun-kissed skin with interesting tattoos of roses and with black hair and almost hypnotising golden-yellow eyes.   
“Uhh, what are you doing and why are you in my room? And in my bed? While I was sleeping in it?” He was lowkey panicking and should really call the police, but something is making him stay in place.   
“I thought I could repay you now” More of the cloth is sliding off, exposing more toned muscle.   
“Ummmmmmm”   
“Come here~” He beckons him with a finger, he could’nt do anything, but come closer to him. He let himself get pulled onto the bed as he got pushed into the blanket and was suddenly straddled by the very hot stranger in very minimal clothing. As things get more steamy, he suddenly started seeing everything hazy and blurry and the stranger started looking less and less human-like. As the blurries continued he promptly passed out and had very weird fever dreams, until everything went black when he finished. 

~

It was a hot early summer day, music blasts through the air of their roofless car as they pass by trees through the California mountains. 

The two in the car idly bop to the music as one watches to road and the other stares out onto the green hills. His messy hair of brown spikes flows in the wind as he enjoys the mountain breeze. 

“You really love the air in your face, huh? You look like a content cat almost” The blond driving commented.   
“It’s so nice this time of year! How can I not? And we get to go to the beach!” Sora happily exclaimed.   
“Need I remind you we lived on this beach for a good 80% of our lives?” Roxas snarked.   
“I know, but we haven’t been on this beach for years since we moved out to college! Since we came back here and not to mention, we get to see Ventus again!” Sora danced in his seat.   
“You mean the one who stole my striking good looks~?” He poses then goes back to the road. The brunette gasps.   
“He was the blueprint to you and me!”   
“Nah, he stole my looks…. six years before I existed” He gets a playful punch to the arm.   
“He set the foundation for you!”   
“The foundation to look like a nerd!”   
“He isn’t a nerd”   
“Then explain his, ever growing, collection of Pokémon plushies and his family of cats?”   
“..... ok he’s kinda of a nerd” The brunette chuckles.  
“Thank you! It’s hard being the only punk in the family” Roxas steps on the gas as they pass the city limits sign.   
“Then what am I?” The brunette asks as Roxas thinks.   
“A jock with prep energy” Sora bursts out laughing.

~

Roxas turns up the music as they get closer and closer to his house, of course they only play the most pleasant music when they drive down this suburban street to visit thier eldest brother.   
Hey now, you're an all-star, get your game on, go play   
Hey now, you're a rock star, get the show on, get paid  
And all that glitters is gold   
Only shooting stars break the mold  
He turns up the music louder as they park in front of Ven’s house. The brothers patiently wait in the car for a reaction, Sora giggling while Roxas smirks at the door.   
“I think he’s ignoring us” Roxas comments.  
“Gee I wonder why?” Sora continues giggling. After most of the song plays, Sora suggested they play the bass boosted version and Roxas was about to do just that when the front door opened and a blond walked out.   
“I like the song but can you please turn it down?” The eldest giggled as he stood on his porch. Only then did they turn the music down and turned off the car.   
“About time you noticed us” Sora climbs out of the car and gets thier stuff from the trunk as Ven walks over.   
“I thought if I ignored you two long enough you’ll go away”   
“You fool, that only fuels us” Roxas states as he takes his stuff out and locks the car.   
“Let me have hope, but anyway-” He pulls both of them into a crushing hug. “Oh my god! I haven’t seen you two in so long!” He even picks them up and twirls them around, with them holding thier luggage still. “How are my baby brothers doing? Are you guys doing well in school? Going to parties? Meeting girls and guys?”   
“Yes we’re doing fine, mom” Roxas pouted and crossed his arms, but cracked a small smile.   
“I’m doing well!” Sora happily answered as he hugged back. Ventus finally puts them down and ruffles thier hair.   
“Hey! This took me a while to spike it properly!” He gently slaps his hand away and fixes his hair, meanwhile, Sora loves the head pats. Ventus just smiles at them.   
“Never change you two” He hugs them again, this time bith of them hug back.  
“So how have you been doing?” The brunette asks. Once they break the hug the three walk to the house.   
“I’ve been doing fine, travling around, trying new foods, meeting the people”   
“I’m guessing the podcast is going well?” Roxas asks.   
“Quite well actually” He opens the door for them. “A lot of people said that I inspired them to be more open minded, to try new things, and to travel more”   
“That’s awesome!” The brothers walk in and are immediately greeted with fuzzy little creatures, meowing at them. Sora gasps.  
“Kitties!” He squats down and pets them all, making sure no kitty is left unpet, all while baby talking them. The cats loved it.   
“I see Chirithy and the rest are doing well” He kneels down and pets some of them.   
“Yeah” Steps over the cats. “Lilac loves you Rox, Mauve calm as usual, and Fushia is always happy to see you guys” He walks to the kitchen and taps a tin can. The cats suddenly swarm to the kitchen, loudly meowing like they’re starving. The blond gets four tiny bowls and fills them with food and places them on the floor as the cats happily feast.   
“Alright, I have two rooms upstairs for you guys, you two fight over who gets what” He starts walking upstairs, the other two follow as the cat happily eat their dinner.   
Once they decide on rooms, they unpack their stuff for the summer and ask Ven for the wifi password. Roxas loaded up his PS, while Sora continued to put more of his stuff away in the meantime. Once he was done he turned on his switch and played some Animal Crossing. Chirithy decided the join him and lay next to him as he played.   
~


	2. Chapter 2

The three were driving around sunset, Ven insisted he buys them dinner for their first day back home. They’re getting In n’ Out. Yaaay! Sora called shotgun and wrestled Roxas, so he’s in the passenger's seat, adjusting the radio. They drive near the local college village. Sora was shuffling through the radio when he saw red and blue lights in the corner of his eyes and turned to look.  
Police cars were on the street and cation tape was being put up around the house and police and forensics people were walking in and out. Ven slows dwon the car so they can be nosy.  
“What happened here?” Sora opened his window.  
“I’m guessing a burglary?” Roxas asked.  
“Nope, another murder” Ven piped up. The other two look at him, wide eyed.  
“Not to scare you guys, but there’s been some…. Recent murders around downtown and around the suburbs, but this is the first one this far out of the city” Ven nervously admitted as he slowly drives around the police cars and people on the street.  
“And this is the first time you’re telling us this?” Roxas accuses.  
“I’m sorry! I didn’t think I would have to tell you!”  
“About a possible serial killer?!”  
“Ok! Ok! Now we know right?” Sora interjected before it got personal.  
“I guess so…” The younger blond pouts and crosses his arms in the back seat.  
“Now” He looks at Ven. “Anything else we should now?”  
“Well, according to the news lately, most victims were found naked and I think most looked like they overdosed on viagra or some kind of aphrodisac. They found prints all over them, but no connections so far, so they assumed this person makes these people od on the stuff, and the thing is all the victims were in their homes, usually with no one else in the house, and no signs of break in or anything” The blond continued weaving through the road.  
“No break in’s and home alone?” Roxas asked.  
“Why aphrodisiacs?” Sora thought out loud.  
“I wish I knew more, but that’s what the news station is telling us”  
“Hmm” Roxas hummed in thought. “Didn’t there used to be a lot of cult activity in the outskirts of town, way back then? And didn’t they kill a lot of people in like really weird ways?” The younger blond asked.  
“Yeah, but they usually went after people in the city or rich people around here, this new guy was a college student, so he was broke as shit”  
“Did you know him?” Sora asked.  
“No, I don’t go to college anymore, remember?”  
“Oh yeah, for your podcast and YouTube right?” The brunette asked.  
“Yup, at least I got the bare minimum of a archeology degree and now I travel the world eating food”  
“The best career path” Roxas added.  
Once they got the drive-thru they ordered all their food, Roxas got an extra large sea salt shake and the other two insisted he share as he tried to fight them off from the back seat. Sora may or may not have a scratch on his cheek now.  
The three now are driving back home with their food as Sora eats some of the fries. They pass by the crime scene again and try to look to see if anything else happened, it seems like they're taking out the body now, Roxas looks away. The memory all too similar to the accident with Xion. Luckily she only had a broken arm and a few cuts, but the sight of her being carried away is still too vivid for him. Sora almost couldn’t look away, yes the guy was in a body bag, but still surreal to see in person. The three continue their drive in silence.  
A figure in a white cloth watches them as they drive away.

~

Sora was staying up late, tapping at his computer, trying to figure out the history of this town. He clicked on an article that seemingly explains the founding and origin of Destiny city and it’s “cult following”:  
The town of Destiny City is a coastal city, founded around 1850, two years after the Mexican-american war. It was a large fishing and mining town that expanded into the nearby hills. Many immigrants swarmed here in search of jobs. While this new town attracted many people searching for jobs, it also attracted many beliefs and religions, but, most notably, the Divine Rose cult. The cult was stationed in the outskirts of the town hills, where they would make their communes and pray to their god, which, to them, took the form of a blue rose. The cult was known for growing these blue roses in large quantities around the mountains, but also for practices and belief regarding sex. They believed lust was a step into understanding yourself and what you wanted in life and allowed themselves to explore their sexuality and practiced many things considered taboo at the time.  
Around this time, pre-marital sex was considered a sin and many who had sex before marriage were outcasted, especially members of the LGBT+ at the time, were targets for the cult. So, these groups, isolated and left to fend for themselves, saw this cult as a way of acceptance from other people like them, but those a part of the cult saw them as beings wanting acceptance. And at first it was true, X. Young, their leader, wanted as place for people to get help with exploring their sexuality and normalise sex before marriage as a form of love and trust, instead of solely as a way of procreating. But over time, that idea got blurred and bent and turned into what the cult was most notably known for now, sexual, murderous rituals and blue roses.  
Their leader and founder, Xehanort Young, organized many “rituals” that consisted of group orgies, exploration of sexuality, drug usage, and “blood sacrifices”. The members usually had many tattoos or markings of the blue rose and ram or deer skulls on their bodies. Their initiation tactic for new members would be to cover the new member in deer blood and send them off into the woods to find the “Empty one”, where they would make you take a mix of drugs, hallucinegens and aphrodisiacs, and get tattooed with the the blue rose and skulls. The tattoos vary on the person, no two tattoos are alike.  
They send out people to convince others to the join them, usually women and younger men to lure in closeted people and the morbidly curious. Once the initiation is complete, the hazing begins. Hazing is when humiliating and sometimes dangerous initiation rituals, especially as imposed on college students seeking membership to a fraternity or sorority. In this case getting covered in blood and getting practically branded while intoxicated was only the beginning of the devotion and humiliation, new members will secept themselves to.  
The more he read, the more disgusted he became. The horrible things these people did to innocent people. And the worst thing is, the people themselves thought this Xehanort person was this good person that could do no wrong and so they blindly followed him and continued lurring in troubled people that found them, before they could find help. Before Sora got too pouty he found another article regarding urban legends of this town, he clicks it, disturbed, yet intrigued.  
In the town of Destiny city, California and the woods and hills surrounding the city had many reports of a figure in a white robe wandering around at night and knocking at peoples doors. Some call this The Siren Ghost, mostly because their voice is almost so alluring it can lure people in the woods and never be seen again. Also it knocks on doors and asks to be let in, usually when it’s let in, it minds it own business until you go to bed, then at 3:00 in the morning you’ll wake up from a strange dream and see the ghost hovering over them and that’s the last thing you see before you’re gone. Many claims of this have been debunked as sleep paralysis, but there have been cases of heart attacks while sleeping. They say the Siren Ghost used to be an attractive young man, with dark hair and red eyes, named Vanitas. Historians had believed he was a closeted homosexual and was outcased by the town once they found out, but then found refuge in The Divine Rose, a cult associated with sexual liberation and blue roses, but later on was known for more extreme practices like mass murder and suicide pacts. Some say he was a newer member, but was chosen to be the next leader once Young passes.  
A disease swept through the town and killed off most of the members including Young and so Vanitas soon took over. The cult became more secretive and more in the woods and started killing hikers and tourists that got too close for comfort and even kidnapped tourists by posing as hitch hikers and using them as sacrifices to their god. The police got involved soon enough and hunted down the cult. Many arrests were made, including Vanitas and many jailed and hanged for their crimes. Documents said that Vanitas was mumbling something as he got taken to the gallows and seconds before he passed he told the crowd, “I made not be here anymore, but I’ll always stick with you, whether you like it or not”, were his final words before he died alongside two others. After that people started seeing him around the woods, in the same white cloth he died in, knocking on doors, seducing hikers to follow him, in the same woods to this day.  
Okay, that’s terrifying. Sora thinks about it for a while well after he closed his laptop for the night. He didn’t sleep well that night. 

~

He woke up to the smell of frying bacon and Lilac laying on him. He pets the cat as he grogily sits up and stretches, much to Lilac’s dismay. He shuffles to the bathroom and does his business, as the cats all watch him lovingly. He walks downstairs with the cats following him into the kitchen. Ven was cooking breakfast for them.  
“About time you woke up” Ven glanced at him as he flipped some bacon.  
“Good morning to you too, bro” The brunette yawns. “Makin’ breakfast?” He sits at the table.  
“Yup, since you somebody can’t wake up before ten”  
“Hey we’re still adjusting to normal life and not having to worry about an essay every two days” Sora pouts and Ven shivers.  
“Glad I don’t have to do that anymore” Ven seasons some eggs as Sora taps on his phone.  
“.... Hey Ven?” Sora looked up from his phone.  
“Yeah?” He sets up the plates.  
“Ever heard of the Siren ghost?”  
“The local urban legend?” The blond serves him his plate.  
“Yeah, got curious last night and started moogling stuff and apparently the ghost used to be a part of a cult obsessed with sex? And now he haunts the town by knocking at doors and kidnapping hikers?”  
“Oh shit, I knew they knock at doors and seen sighings online, but I didn’t know it was a cult ghost” He sits at the table with his own plate and sets Roxas’s on the third seat.  
“Yeah, it’s just... the murder last night got me curious and it sounded so similar to the ghost story” Sora ate some some bacon.  
“Well urban legends and folklore always have at least some truth to them, right?”  
“Yeah…” The brunette smears some yolk on his toast. Ven pats his shoulder.  
“It’s just a ghost story, I’m sure some assholes over time tried to recreate it to scare people and the killer probably is trying to use that to scare people more, but as long as we lock our doors and don’t go out at night, we’ll be fine” The stairs starts creaking as they hear footsteps and little meows, Roxas stumbles downstairs with the messiest bed head imaginable. “You guys talking about ghosts?” He rubs his eyes.  
“Sort of, you know the Ghost Siren?”  
“Uhhhh is that the guy that takes people and kills them by sleeping with them?”  
“That’s the one” The older blond sips his juice.  
“Neat.” Sarcastically as the younger blond sits at the table and naws at a piece of bacon.  
“Do you think people are still a part of the cult?” Sora asked. The two bloods looked at each other.  
“I mean there could be people that do those things still”  
“I know plenty of people who get high and have an orgie” Roxas bluntly stated, like it was common knowledge, in which made Sora almost spit out his toast and Ven snort.  
“Good to know” Ven giggles as Sora tries to clean up the coughed up toast.


	3. Chapter 3

The rest of the day was relatively tame, Sora and Roxas still settling in, while Ventus was researching where his next adventure would be once his brothers go back to school. He was thinking Japan might be cool, Sora likes the mochi doughnuts from there. Meanwhile, Roxas was unloading more stuff and playing with the cats and Sora was looking more into the Ghost Siren.   
He finds many variations of the urban legend where the ghost has sex with the person and then dies, another says it lures you into the river and drowns you. A recurring theme is that the ghost itself is apparently very attractive and alluring and despite gender, can lure in almost anyone into their death. There’re even some artist depictions of what people describe them as: black, messy hair, golden-yellow eyes, tan skin with rose and deer skull tattoos, draping themselves in a white cloth. The ghost looks very masculine in appearance and to be honest, they are really hot, if Sora was being honest. He looked through more stories and sightings, which led to more images of what people say the ghost looked like and the more he saw, the more he blushed.   
“Damn ghosts and their… hot bodies… And nice faces” He mumbles to himself as he looks at more stories and sightings. It seems they all have one thing in common: wears a white blanket and hangs out in a certain part of the woods, and so he searched up where exactly the rose cult could’ve been. Until he heard some footsteps outside his door, he looked up to see Roxas there.   
“Still looking up spooky shit?” He leans on the door frame, holding his phone.   
“Yeah, just curious about all this. Just about to search up what part of the woods this guy is usually seen in” Sora continues tapping on his computer.   
“Ohhhhh” The blond walks towards him and looks at his computer. “Where?”  
“Weeelllll-” Sora reads the article. “Turns out the cult used to set up camp in the hills, deeper in the woods, way outside of town, near the mine. After the police raid the place became a ghost town, but they kinda invaded the mine and made it their own. Turns out there was a separate part of town near the mine and there was plans to connect the villages, but it seems that plan never made it though”   
“Maybe the cult had something to do with it” Roxas laid next to him.   
“Well I would’nt want a sex cult as my neibeors either” Roxas snorted.  
“Diddo” The two read more and more about where the camp is and what things happened there. Roxas idly paid attention, mostly looking at his phone with Mauve and Fuchia laying on him. Lilac tried to lay on Sora’s laptop multiple times and petted him in an attempt to gently push him away, but the grey cat was relentless.   
“So are gonna eventually be like one of those ghost hunter shows and find that place and try to ‘contact’ it?”   
“........ maybe”   
“Dude….. Take me with you, then I’ll get video of you freaking out over small noises” Roxas smirked at him and Sora playfully kicked him.   
“Dude, we can barely afford at least a camera, let alone a thermal camera, and EMF thing and all kinds of other shit, I was thinking of at least going out there and investigating the old town to see if the urban legends have some truth to them”   
“Well I’m still coming with you, just to see you freak out over you stepping on a stick”   
“I won’t freak out!”   
“Remember that time in elementary, when we were walking around on Halloween night, trick or treating, and you jumped when you saw your own shadow when we passed by a street light?”   
“I was five!”   
“And I was two!”   
“You had a baby leash!”   
“... ok you win.. This time”   
They talked more and more about what they were gonna do on the ‘investigation’ and what stuff they should buy. They can get some cheap, but decent quality filming cameras, night vision stuff, and thermal and EMF stuff. They may be broke college adults, but at least they can budget and beg Ventus to help pay.   
Later that day, when they finally convinced Ven to help buy the stuff for them and drive them to the local electronics store, both of them bought the stuff they need and went to a nearby boba place for drinks, Sora had to pay for that on his own though.

~

He was jogging through the woods, around sunset. He made sure he was staying on trail, especially since it’s getting darker, so he turned on his flashlight and continued on. With music blaring in his ears, he easily blurs out the world around him, except the path he’s running on. He doesn’t notice the gentle footsteps trailing behind him and the wind whistling.   
As it gets darker, he turns off his music and looks around, he has no idea where he is and shines his flashlight around to see any signs or trails, but all he sees is bushes, shrubs, and trees. After a while of walking around he tried to call someone on his phone, but he has no reception out here. Of course. He was tempted to start yelling for someone, in case anyone might hear him, he was about to until he heard a faint laugh behind him. His head whips around to find the source, but no one was there. He starts hearing more distant laughs and soft footsteps, so he follows the noise through the woods. He finds himself along a beaten path with some overgrowth, he follows the path and voice, hoping this leads to one of the trails back to home but his face grows pale as he walks up to a seemingly abandoned village covered in fog.   
“How is there fog? It’s may…” He mumbles to himself.   
There were small houses that looked broken into and tagged with graffiti, abandoned tree houses in disarray, and … blue roses? They look well taken care of and almost glow in the moonlight, he was about to look at them closer, but heard more quiet giggling. He cautiously looks around for the source of the laughing, stepping over thorny branches and collapsed walls and beams. He wanders around and finds a small tent-like structure and sees a figure in a white robe walk inside.   
“Hello?” He follows the figure inside. “I kinda got lost and don’t know where I am, can you help me?” He looks around the tent, it seems bigger on the inside and seems to have solid walls. As he walks in further the tent entrance closes. He looks back at the exit in shock as candles light up around the room, upon lighting up, a king-sized bed with a flowing canopy and a figure laying on the bed, behind the curtains. He knows he should turn back and make a run for it, but something keeps him in place.   
The room suddenly grows warm and the smell of roses fills the room, he walks towards the bed and slowly opens the curtains. A man lays there, black hair, tan skin, rose and deer tattoos. The man was barely covered by the white robe and the sheets, leaving little to the imagination. He appeared to be sleeping, but slowly opened his eyes, piercing gold looks into his soul. His shorts are feeling very tight as the figure sits up in a flirty manner.   
“Hello, stranger~” They said in a low voice. The smell of roses gets stronger as he leans in, then he gets pulled into the bed, he just let’s it happen. He’s pinned to the bed and feels a weight on his lower half, he glances down from the stranger’s face and sees him straddling him and standing at attention through the sheets. His face heats up as the stranger grinds in his lap. “It gets quite lonely out here~ All alone with no one for company~” He caresses his face as he leans in. “But then you came along~”   
Clothes start getting removed as things get more intimate. Everything was pure bliss and felt warm all over. He knows he should stop, meeting a stranger in the woods and already having sex with him. But something keeps him there, this doesn’t feel right, he can’t move, but he also doesn’t want to leave. He starts losing focus as everything starts feeling blurry, he feels tired and the pillows and blue petals on the bed seem so inviting. He closes his eyes and doses off.   
He dreams of petals swirling around a figure in white, he’s suddenly underwater, he’s drowning. Petals are flying through the water, suddenly a white blanket surrounds him.   
Then everything goes dark.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Me: *makes a longer chapter*   
> Chapter; *takes longer to write*  
> Me: :0

~

It was late morning and Ventus was making french toast as Chirithy watched him happily from the counter. As Ven sears some ham he pets the fuzzy cat and serves him some brunch. He taps the can and as he scoops some out onto the little plate, he hears a tiny stampede of soft feet make their way downstairs, along with a pair of bigger feet as well.  
“Morning sleepy head” He flips a toast as Sora comes into view, rubbing his eyes and yawning.  
“Mmm… Mornin’” He combs a hand through his hair as he sits at the table.  
“Sleep well?” He puts a plate of french toast and ham in front of him.  
“Yeah” He smells and makes a content face. “You always make good stuff” He noms on a piece of ham.  
“Well someone has to cook around here, can’t have ramen all day everyday”  
“That shit delicious though…” He bursted out laughing. Sora was about to say something when Roxas suddenly ran down the stairs, with a toothbrush in his mouth.  
“Y’all talkin’ shit about my noods?!” Sora spits out his juice and Ven is wheezing on the floor, Roxas smiles to himself and walks back upstairs to spit out the toothpaste.  
“So, how’s the ghost hunting coming along?” The blond asks once he regains his composure.  
“Well we got the cameras and spent most of the night learning how to work them and then watched ghost hunting shows” He smiles. Ven smiles happily at him.  
“Glad you two are having fun, I was afraid you guys would’ve gotten bored quick here” He fixes Roxas a plate. “Or I would come off as the aggresive mom type”  
“Says the one who got drunk at a halloween party and ate all the whipped cream and then proceeded to dance on the table and then pass out. So no, you’re not the mom type”  
“Ugghhhhhhh” He covers his face. “I was in college and adjusting to adult life too fast”  
“You were adjusting to something alright” He eats a piece of ham.  
“Aren’t you supposed to be the nice brother?”  
“... Blame Roxas” He gets hit with a paper towel roll. “Hey!”  
“Naughty boys get hit with paper towels”  
…  
Both of them burst out laughing, which warrants and very confused Roxas walking downstairs. 

~

Since Ventus made a lot of food the past few days, a grocery run is in their near future, today in fact. So once it was around lunch time, Sora and Roxas race upstairs to see who’s gonna take a shower first since Ven is dragging both of them along. Roxas tackled him to the floor and ran ahead to the bathroom, Sora only got minor bruising don’t worry.  
To add insult to injury, Roxas even called shotgun and now Sora is stuck in the backseat, while Roxas plays meme music through his phone. Ventus is confused, but vibes along with it.  
Once they walk in the store, the rush of cold air hits them and they all take a quiet, collective sigh.  
“You guys can get whatever you want, I’ll get cooking stuff I need” The elder blond took a shopping cart and drove off the veggie section. The two younger brothers look at each other and smirk as they make their way to the snack aisle. The two then gather as many snacks as their arms can carry, including, but not limited to: ramen, pocky, fruity marshmallows, Arizonas, spicy chips, and many other things. They wander around the store trying to find Ventus. Once they spot him they make their way other with their snacks. When they plop their things in the cart, Ven glances at their things as he gets a jar kimchi and some tofu.  
“I see you guys got excited” He adds the jar and packet to the cart.  
“We’ll help pay” Sora offers, as he digs through his pockets.  
“No no, you don’t have to, really” He drives the cart near the frozen section.  
“I insist” The brunette pouts.  
“C’mon dude, it’s the least we can do, and we’re gonna be leaching off of you for the next few months, so let us help a little at least” Roxas pleads.  
“Guys really, it’s fine” He gets a pack of sea salt ice cream. The two continuously try to plead with him that they’ll get jobs to help him pay the bills and food. But alas he deflects them, and insists he doesn’t need the help. The younger two look at each other and nod.  
“Guys really, it’s summer for you guys and-” He turns to look at them only to see both of them giving the biggest puppy eyes a twenty and a twenty three year old can muster.  
“Guys no '' Their eyes get bigger.  
“That only worked a few times when we were younger!” They pout more.  
“I swear to god, guys!” Thier sad eyes increase.  
“Mmmmm… Ok fine! You win!” The two high five each other.  
“We’re gonna help you pay your bills!” Sora proudly proclaimed. Ventus just smiles at them.  
As they finish up shopping they head to check-out and pay for their things, Roxas and Sora helped pay as true to their word. As they take the bags to their car, Sora accidentally dumps into a stranger covered in a white blanket.  
“Oops, sorry!” He apologies as he turns to look at them as he walks away.  
“It’s alright” He says in a soft, deep voice, it almost took Sora off guard as he stopped walking. That voice was the kind that you want to read a story to you at night.  
“W-well, hope y-you have a nice day” He smiles at the stranger, he looks back at him with beautiful golden-yellow eyes, the most vibrant eye color he’s ever seen, they almost glow. “You too” He pats his shoulder and cracks a small, alluring smile as he walks away. Sora stared for a moment, tempted to follow, but didn’t, maybe a little too long to be of minor curiosity. He shakes his head and shuffles to catch up with the other two, face a little red.  
“What’s gotten into you?” Roxas asks as he loads the trunk.  
“Uhhh nothing, just bumped into someone and almost dropped the bags, that’s all” He helps load the trunk.  
“You sure? You look red”  
“I’m fine!” He said a little too quickly. The blond scans his face which makes the brunette blush more.  
“Ooohhhh~ You bumped into someone cute, didn’t you~?” The blond smirks as he loads the last bag.  
“.... A little bit” Sora shyly admitted as they entered the car.  
“What they look like?” Roxas opened a can of Arizona and sipped.  
“Who looks like what?” Ventus started the car.  
“Sora saw someone cute just now~” The brunette in the back covered his blushing face.  
“Really? Who?” The eldest blond asked genuinely, Sora was always loud and proud, why the sudden shyness?  
“Yeah tell us” Roxas egged on.  
“W-well he had dark hair, really bright eyes that shined like the sunset, his voice was deep that I could physically feel the vibrations when he spoke, and when he walked away I couldn’t help but stare-” He continues to gush about this stranger he only knew for less than a minute for the next five minutes as Roxas and Ven laugh in the front seat. He barely knew him as he’s already fallen for him. For the rest of the car ride, Roxas continues to tease him, while Ventus gives him genuine advice if he ever meets him again. All while Sora was just a blushing mess in the back seat.  
He doesn’t know why, but he can’t get that stranger out of his head and can’t stop thinking about doing… things… to him. He shakes his head and tries to think of other things, he tries to focus on the song that’s playing. 

I see you over there, so hypnotic  
Thinking 'bout what I do to that body  
I get you like ooh baby baby  
Ooh baby baby, ah-ooh baby baby ooh baby baby  
Got no drink in my hand  
But I'm wasted  
Getting drunk of the thought of you naked  
I get you like ooh baby baby  
Ooh baby baby, ah-ooh baby baby ooh baby baby

Ok, not the song he needs to listen to at the moment. He looks out the window at the passing trees and cars… he saw a couple kissing. He opts to just look at his phone instead and look at kittens… He saw a black one with yellow eyes... Fuck…  
The ride home was longer than he wanted it to and so he helped as quickly as he could with the groceries and skutled upstairs, with Roxas walking after him and teasing him as he went to his own room. He tried to distract himself by playing some Animal Crossing, Pokemon, and even some Mariocart. Getting blueshelled every two seconds certainly helped get his mind off that attractive stranger. Also the cats that waddled in and laid all over him helped too. 

~

While Sora has his gay panic throughout the day, as night falls, a fog rolls in and around their neighborhood. The source seems to be coming from the deep in the woods.  
A figure walks among the trees, the breeze blows against his robe, making if flow in the wind as he walks among the blue roses that seem to glow in the moonlight. He wanders through the roses in a daydream almost, or nightdream in this case. He walks through the abandoned buildings, looking at crumbing structures with nostalgia. He kneels in a bed of roses and grazes his hand over a bunch, admiring their beauty.  
“This place used to be a sanctuary” He picks a rose. “A place where you can love whoever you want and no one would bat an eye” He gently caresses the rose. “Then.. something went wrong... With him” He crushed the rose in his hand. “The power started getting to him…” He crushed the rose more. “And I was his favorite…” The rose then turned into a paste. “At least I don’t have to deal with any of them anymore” He smiles as he lets the rose paste fall out of his hand. “And I get to lure people in and make their last moments pleasurable~” He stands up and walks among the roses again, he seems to hover and phase through them almost. He walks into his tent, the skeleton of his recent lover still on the bed. “Hmm, seems I was a little greedy with this one” He takes the bones and crushes them to dust and then scatters the remains outside as the wind takes it. He walks back in and cleans off the bed and then lays on it, the robe fanning out of the bed, hardly covering him anymore. He lays there, thinking. That boy from earlier today… felt different, not lust like his usual prey, but filled with fondness. He knows his voice and his body are enough to get anyone to do what he wants, but this one showed resistance, hesitance. He acted so shy, like he didn’t want to disturb him, yet he wanted to be around him more, usually they show little resistance and fall in deep, but this one was sober enough to snap out of it. He was adorable and even though he knew him for only a few seconds, he wanted to know him more, he never felt this for any of his prey. Actually… this one didn’t feel like prey. Their exchange felt… intimate, like he wanted to talk to him more, but his friends were right there and it was in braud daylight, so he couldn’t have made him follow without drawing attention… Now he’s starting to make excuses for himself, he wanted to take him, but something made him let go… He puts his hand on his chest as he thinks more about him, the longer he thinks about him the more his face warms up and the more he wants to be in his arms and… feel at home, to have someone that cares about… genuinely. Oh, Vanitas, you’ve really fallen for him have you? 

~

Sora fluffed up his pillow and plop his face down on the fluffy mass. Today was a day. He met a hot stranger, made fun of by his siblings, and had gay panic throughout the day, games helped, but only delayed the inevitable. The night time gay panic. Which is similar to regular gay panic, but now the thought of possibly being with your crush is keeping you up at night. Happens to the best of us. Sora, despite having…. Thoughts about this stranger, he eventually fell asleep, with some cats laying on him and kneading. 

The next time he opens his eyes, he finds himself in thick woods, the fog was so thick he could barely see five feet ahead of him. He walks ahead, passing by trees and shrubs and crunching leaves under his feet. Despite being almost blind, it was peaceful, there was no trail or path, so he just wandered around happily, hopelessly getting lost. He heard the sound of a river flowing and followed the sound, as he got closer he heard the splashing of water, like someone playing, so he followed the sound more and more.  
Until he found a waterfall emptying into a small pond and into the river, there were roses in the water, blue roses. And a figure in white, hip deep in the water, the robe fanning out in the water, facing away from him. He walks along the bank to the edge of the water, the figure faces him, revealing a toned torso with rose tattoos, golden eyes stare into his soul.  
“I was wondering when you were gonna show up” The stranger smiles. Sora blushes at the sight, now he’s having dreams about this guy? God he really is a gonner.  
“Uh, hi” He shyly waves.  
“Hello” He walks towards him. “I think we met before, but I didn’t catch your name” The brunette blushes more.  
“Uhhh Sora, how about you?” The strangers smiles more at him.  
“Vanitas”  
“Vanitas…” He tests the name. “Nice name” He smiles back at him. “I saw you at the parking lot, we bumped into each other” His smile falters a little. “I wish I said something besides just blush like an idiot and scurry away” He scratches his head and blushes a little.  
“You’re not an idiot, In fact I find you quite adorable”  
“Oh, i’m an idiot alright ask-.... What?!” His voice cracks a little as he turns red.  
“Adorable” He walks closer to him and holds his hand, pulling a little. The blanket also barely covers him, causing the brunette to blush even more.  
“Uhhh”  
“C’mon the water is perfect” He said in a sultry tone as he yanks Sora into the water.  
“Ow! Ok ok” He follows Vanitas into the deeper water, the water level reaches to their chest as they slightly float. Vanitas inches closer to him as the robe falls off into the water, revealing more of spiky, jet black, broad shoulders, beautiful tanned skin, and intricate tattoos of blue roses and … deer skulls? He was mesmerised until he felt strong arms wrap around his shoulders and golden eyes staring into his soul, just enough to feel like prey, but also soft enough to feel like a lovers embrace. He was filled with hope for a brief second, until he realized something… this isn’t real, it can’t be real, it’s too good to be true.  
“... This isn’t real… it’s a dream, I remember going to bed before this” He mumbles to himself mostly. Vanitas looks at him and tilts his head.  
“What makes you so sure?” He leans in, his breath feels cold.  
“Things are moving a little too quickly for us only meeting yesterday”  
“So why not enjoy it~ If this is a dream” He leans in and whispers in his ear. “Or is this the future~?” He kisses him on the lips and Sora was about to protest, until he felt something warm and fuzzy in his chest and strong arms wrap around his waist. He couldn’t help but shyly kiss back as Vanitas softly corners him on the rocks. The two separate and Vanitas takes Sora’s arms and wraps them around his waist and nuzzles into his chest. Meanwhile, Sora is as red as a tomato and a blushing mess and stamering all over his words. Vanitas giggles.  
“I like you, far more interesting and cute than the others”  
“O-others?”  
“If you’ve been around as long as I have, you get around quite often” He traces a finger in the brunette's hair. “But also quite lonely, being out here for so long, with only passing by strangers to keep me company” He purrs. “And they never stay too long either”  
“That’s rough buddy” He pats his head. Vanitas just looks at him.  
“Uhhh sorry” He turns more red.  
“No no” He hugs him. “It’s fine” He nuzzles his chest more.  
“So uhh, if you like me and I like you… does that make us…?”  
“If you want” He smiles at him.  
“So dream boyfriend… neat” His face falters a little.  
“What’s wrong?” He looks at him with a pout. “Not happy to be with me?”  
“I am, I am, just…. This isn’t real… just my imagination”  
The environment starts getting darker.  
“I may be a dream now, but it won’t be next time” His grip tightens on Sora as it grows darker. “The next time we see each other, things may seem different” He cups his face.  
“Then you’ll know I’m very real” He smirks slightly and tilts his head, Sora tries to struggle away, but is held in place. “But perhaps, maybe I won’t make you mine, at least not yet, you’re too unique to suck you dry”  
“W-what do you mean b-by that?” The air grows cold.  
“You’ll find out soon enough~” Suddenly he’s dragged under water, the warmth is gone and all there is is just cold and darkness as he sinks further down as he loses more and more air. He scrambles to get loose of his grip, but he’s losing air. He glances down at him and sees only yellow eyes stare at him from the abyss. 

He wakes up in a cold sweat and covered in cats, said cats all look at him with concern and chirp at him as they walk up to him. He steadies his breath as he pets them, the image of yellow eyes staring into his soul from the abyss still fresh in his mind. He looks at the clock, 3:45am. He looks around the room for any suspicious shapes, nothing, just that ominous chair with clothes on it that looks vaguely human and the faint light from the window. He breathes a little slower once he looks around the room more and lays back down, the cats nuzzle up to him to comfort him. He gives them scritches and pets as he calms down.  
“Good kitties” He said tiredly as he pets them more. And since he’s awake now and just laying there miserably, he opts to play on his phone until the sun properly rises. It was a good idea until he feels he has to piss, so he might as well start his day now. 

~

Ventus wakes up to shuffling around the house and a microwave going off. He checks the time, 7:30. He usually gets up about around eight, but it seems one of his brothers is awake early for once. He rises out of bed and shakes the sleepy off and shuffles to the bathroom to freshen up for the day.  
As he pats his way downstairs as he hears the low volume of the TV and a crunching of a pizza roll. He walks into the living room and sees Sora on the couch watching cartoons with cats all over him, eating a pizza roll. Sora looks at him tiredly.  
“Good mornin” He greets with food in his mouth.  
“Good morning, you’re up early” He leans against the entrance.  
“Yeah, had a weird dream and coundn’t go back to sleep”  
“How long were you up?”  
“Uhhhhhhh almost four” He holds up three fingers… he adds another upon realization.  
“That bad huh? Wanna talk about it?” He walks up to the couch and sits near him, the cats meow happily at him and rubs up against him.  
“Mmmmmm, nah, I’m fine” Crunch. “Just not used to those kind of dreams”  
“Was it scary?”  
“Mmm not at first, it was the last part that kinda spooked me… something dragged me under the water… started drowning...” Ven’s eyes widen and hugged Sora.  
He was a kid when he almost drowned in the ocean, Dad wasn’t paying attention for a few minutes and little Sora wandered off too far from watching eyes and a riptide took him out to sea. And if that wasn’t bad enough, he got tangled in kelp as he tried to swim back, poor boy was practically getting dragged under. After that Sora was closely watched every time they went to the beach or any large body of water, until he was about 16. You would think that experience would scar someone for a while, but not Sora, in fact he was even more dead set on learning to swim and even joined water pollo in high school.  
“I’m fine” He pats the elder’s head. “Really, I am”  
“Are you sure? You can talk to me if you need to, I’m right here Sora” He hugs him again and Sora squeezes back.  
“I know, I know, you would kill for me and Roxas” He pats his back.  
“I would! Terra taught me how to box! And Aqua taught me fencing!”  
“......while we were at college, you studied the blade”  
“And these hands!” He holds his fists up, that would’ve been intimidating if it was literally anyone else besides Ventus. Sora laughs wholeheartedly at him.  
“Glad you’re on my side, bro” He ruffles his hair. The blonde just smiles.  
“I can make you a proper breakfast if you want, instead of this big pizza roll”  
“‘Aight” He scarfs down the rest of the pocket and stands up and follows his brother to the kitchen. Ventus starts the stove and gets a can of corned beef hash and starts cooking it while Sora sits on the counter with the cats meowing loudly around them for food.  
“Sora can you feed the cats please?” The blonde stirs the meat and starts up some eggs. Sora nods and jumps off the counter and gets their little dishes and fills them, the crowd around his feet as they meow loudly and Chirithy and Fushia stand on their hind legs and claw at his shorts. He happily pets them as he sets ther bowls down. The meows immediately silenced and now replaced with excited crunching. Sora happily pets them. “Kitties” He mumbles to himself. Ventus smiles at him.  
There was a comfortable silence, with the sizzling and the crunching, it was a nice ambience.  
“So are you Rox gonna go on your ghost hunt anytime soon? Or Have I bought you those cameras for nothing?”  
“No no, we’re still going… I think, need to ask him when, cause we know how the cameras work now and the thermal stuff and I’ve heard the nights are gonna start getting warmer”  
“Good for you, I also have a telescope, if you two wanna go stargazing anytime soon” He serves a plate of hash and eggs to Sora, the brunette happily takes it and starts eating. “That sounds amazing!” He always had a thing for stars and space. 

~


End file.
